Dieting plans come and go and very few have been able to stand the test of time. For a dieting plan that has been around for almost a century then you know something with it is just right. The Ketogenic diet has been around since 1926 when it was used by clinicians to treat obese and epileptic patients. Are you looking to go Ketogenic?
Are you wondering whether muscle building on the ketogenic diet is possible? Here are 5 things you should know about the Keto diet.
1. What is the Ketogenic diet?
A ketonic diet is a high-fat low-carb diet used to promote gradual weight loss. It involves a drastic reduction of carbohydrate intake, after which it’s replaced with fat. Without carbs for the body to turn into energy, it falls into a metabolic condition known as Ketosis and becomes very efficient at burning fats for energy.
The body also converts fats into Ketones in the liver which are used as an energy supply for the brain. The Keto diet has been shown to reduce blood sugar significantly and the insulin levels. The diet is available in four different forms but all with low-carb and high-fat.
2. Building Muscle on Ketogenic DietThe ketogenic diet has drawn a lot of attention in recent years as people struggle to become healthy. This means there is a lot of information about the diet being thrown around. This means that by the time the information gets to you it might be difficult to decipher the truth from the myths.
If your desire is building muscle on the ketogenic diet then you should know it is possible. The diet is low-carb and high protein (enough protein for your body needs) which means as your body burns the fat for energy it is able to build more lean muscle with the protein taken in.
There are also other factors of the diet that enable your body to build more lean muscle including; the diet reduces chances of muscle breakdown and also there are certain ketones produced that promote protein synthesis.
3. Ketogenic Diet and Performance
Many people looking at building muscles on the ketogenic diet are people who work out which is why many want to know whether the diet affects performance. Studies have shown that performance may be affected very slightly for the first few days when your body is learning how to get energy from the fat sources and carbs.
However, after the body adapts there are enough ketones produced for the body to use them as a source of energy for strength and endurance.
4. The Diet Should Not Be Followed For Long
Recent studies have shown that it is best not to follow the diet for long especially when you are looking at building muscle on the Ketogenic diet. The studies have indicated that following the diet for a long time can lead to muscle loss. Researchers recommend following the diet for a few weeks at a time for the best results.
5. Watch the Type of Fat You Eat
Just because the diet is a high-fat diet doesn’t mean that you can munch away at any types of fats. You should restrict your diet to high quality and healthy fats only. It is recommended that you get your fat supply from sources such as nuts, fatty fish, olive oil and seeds.
While training for building muscle on the ketogenic diet you can use timed carbohydrate consumption to provide the body with the needed carbs for the training. This is called the targeted ketogenic diet.
You may also opt to use the cyclical ketogenic diet in which there are periods of high carb intake, for instance, you could do keto for five days and take in carbs for two days.
